A/N: I think this story is getting a little boring. Anyone agree?

Chapter 9 - Break The Glass (Posted 27 July 2011)

"So you heard it?" Kaiba asked through the phone.

"Yeah." Yugi said, sounding sad and confused. "I heard it. It was Yami's voice. And the figure... it's him. I can see him standing there. And I can hear him. But I can't hear what he's saying."

"He's saying 'break the glass,' Yugi." Kaiba told him. "You have to break down the glass wall or else you won't be able to talk to him."

"How do you know?"

"Because I broke the glass wall and then I could hear him."

"Oh." Yugi said, feeling kind of embarrassed. "Well, how do I do that?"

"Yugi, do your blankets end up in your dream with you?"

"Yeah... they're in a pile on the ground... why?"

"Well... sleep with a hammer tonight. Okay?"

"A hammer?" Yugi asked. "Won't that be uncomfortable?"

"Yugi," Kaiba began to explain, "anything that's touching you when you fall asleep ends up with you in your dream. Sleep with a hammer, and you can use it to break the wall."

"Ok... but what do I do from there?"

"Talk to him. He won't tell me anything else until he talks to you first."

"Alright. Thanks, Kaiba."

"You're welcome."

"Oh," Yugi remembered, "another package arrived at the shoppe today. Did you want me to open it or wait for you?"

"You can open it if you want." Kaiba said contently. "It's probably just promotional merchandise. Feel free to look through it until the next time I'm there."

"Ok. I'll see you then."

X

That night, Yugi did as Kaiba told and snuck a hammer from the garage up to his bedroom. He didn't want to think about how he was going to explain it if Grampa asked any questions, but he just acted natural, like nothing was up. And he fell asleep holding the hammer.

When he entered the dream, he felt the awkward gravity start to pull him against the wall again, but before he was completely stuck to it, he checked his hand and saw the hammer. What Kaiba had told him to do actually worked. And when Yami's figure came into view, Yugi wasted no time in bringing his arm back as far as the pull would let him before swinging hard at the glass.

As soon as the tool connected with the wall, the entire thing came crashing down like a wave of a million tiny crystals. There was dark smoke everywhere but the one thing Yugi could see was Yami's face, looking proud. He was dressed in nothing but a flowing white sheet.

"Yami." Yugi said, finally free from the gravity of the wall. "Is... is that really you?"

"Of course it's me, Aibou." the spirit said. "I see you and Kaiba have been getting... close."

"Huh? Well he's helping me. A lot." Yugi looked away.

Yami sighed and stepped forward. "I know."

"I was afraid of that." Yugi said, shaking his head. "How much do you know?"

"I know everything, Yugi. And all I can say is I'm sorry for driving you to something like that. I tried to contact you sooner but there was something... blocking our connection."

"Oh?"

"Yes. But we'll have plenty of time for explanations in the future. Right now, I just want to tell you how happy I am to finally speak to you again. I've been watching over you, of course, but actually seeing you here and being able to talk to you is..."

"I know." Yugi said, his eyes shining. "I've missed you so much, Yami. It was like... I knew that everything we did together was to get you back to the spirit world, but I really wish you would have beaten me in that last battle. Because then I would have been able to keep you here with me. I know it sounds so selfish but it's how I feel."

"It's not selfish." Yami said.

"Yes it is. Because it's not like I wanted to bring you here and rescue you or anything, I would literally do anything to have you back, even if you were happier in the spirit realm. I don't care. I just... I need you."

"I need you too, Yugi. And you're right, it was my fate to gain my lost memories and find my way to the land of the spirits, but I think sometimes even fate can't predict everything." Yami prophesied.

"What do you think fate didn't predict?"

"I think fate underestimated the strength of the bond between you and me." Yami said in a low voice. "I don't think it considered how deeply I would come to care for you. If there's one thing that fate can't control, it's love."

"Love?" Yugi stared at him.

Yami nodded. "That is the only word that could possibly describe how I feel about you."

"Love like... like a friend? A brother? A pet?"

Yami smirked, but appeared a little somber. "I see you've lost some of the confidence I helped you to build."

"I'm sorry." Yugi hugged himself and looked away again.

"Look at me, Yugi." Yami begged as he reached out and gently grabbed Yugi's chin, turning his face so that their eyes met again. "I love you in many different ways. And one of them is a very special kind of love that, in all my years, I have never felt for another individual."

"I don't know what you mean." There was no way he could mean what Yugi thought he meant.

"I think you do." Yami nodded encouragingly. "But you're too afraid to say it in case this isn't real. But it is real, Yugi. I'm going to come back to you. Soon. There are just a few more things that I must take care of first. And then I'll tell you properly exactly what I mean."

"You promise?"

"I promise." Yami smiled and released Yugi's chin. "But for now, it's time for you to wake up."

"No! I don't want to go yet! I want to keep talking to you!" Yugi protested as Yami walked backwards.

"You have school, Yugi. You broke the glass wall, and it will stay broken. So I will keep visiting you in your dreams if you want until I am able to return to you fully."

"Ok..."

"Keep your chin up, Aibou. Please. For me?"

Yugi shut his eyes as he remembered his last conversation with the Pharaoh. "Ok. I'll try."